Fort Smith Directors Support Water Park Redesign

Fort Smith directors on Tuesday agreed to take on more than $450,000 worth of additional expenses for an expanded aquatics center.

Fort Smith directors on Tuesday agreed to take on more than $450,000 worth of additional expenses for an expanded aquatics center.

The 5-1 vote obligates the Fort Smith Board of Directors to reimburse Sebastian County half of the estimated cost for additional features at the aquatics center planned at Ben Geren Regional Park.

The city’s half of the extras, plus funds to equalize in-kind expenses, totals about $467,500, which will be paid to the county over four years, according to City Administrator Ray Gosack.

“This is a very important item to our area teens,” Ramsey Junior High teacher Michele Walker told directors Tuesday. “They will be a large portion of your target market for that particular park.”

The current agreement splits the $8 million overall cost of construction between the city and county. Redesign costs based on feedback from a joint city-county meeting Feb. 12 are estimated at $820,000.

At that meeting, Walker and a group of her students told leaders they felt cheated and called for the reinstatement of a diving well and other features omitted from the current aquatics center drawing.

About a dozen students attended Tuesday’s meeting with Walker.

“I just want you to know that I think the city’s in good hands for the future,” At-Large Director Pam Weber told them.

Ward 4 Director George Catsavis cast the lone vote against the city’s new obligation.

“The reasons were financial,” he said after the meeting. “Our revenues are not coming in as expected, and I think we could be in for some tough times ahead.”

Fort Smith department heads have recently been asked to monitor spending and delay filling vacant positions for at least two months based on lower-than-anticipated revenues in late 2012.

“I understand the kids’ wants, but there has to be a point when you say at this time, we cannot afford this,” Catsavis said. “It’s projected to lose money. I’m not one to keep using taxpayer funds on something that’s going to lose money, even in the name of entertainment.”

“Mayor Sanders is absent tonight due to the passing of his mother, Ruth Sanders,” Settle said. “(She) passed away early (Tuesday) morning in her hometown of Oklahoma City with Sandy at her bedside. She was 90 years old.”

Settle said a memorial service is planned for March 14 in Oklahoma City.

“It’s a loss for the mayor, and we all wish him well.”

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